Ferry Flying – Delivering Aircraft around the world for MAF

Funny how there are a few ways to say – “up in the air”

We were to be “up in the air” today – we actually were “up in the air” for about an hour today- but not in the direction or location planned and anticipated for – and so – the route to Australia – at this point – is – “up in the air”

We were all set to go at 6 am this morning.

Yesterday afternoon we were very relieved when we received the final permit for this trip after weeks and hours of work to secure permits and fuelling arrangements and plan flight routes. Everything was set.

Then – yesterday afternoon – Thursday for us – Friday afternoon in Tuvalu- we got an email from them stating that our fuel was no longer available! (I say Friday because it is now the weekend on that side of the equator and permit offices are closed). (I would like to thank in particular one Fast Air employee, Heather, who has gone above and beyond to figure this out.)

Our plan today was to fly to Christmas Island, Kiribati – and then our next stop was in Funafuti, Tuvalu.

Fuel no longer available in Tuvalu changes everything for our flight route to Australia.

Argh!

So the first step in plan “b” is to fly to Honolulu.

The reason for this is that our only other options now are to fly to either Tarawa, Kiribati or to Marshall Islands. Honolulu is about an hour closer to these stops but still significantly longer than Christmas Island- potentially 14 hours rather than 7 and a half. So, we need to get more oxygen for the aircraft. Flying these long legs we conserve fuel by flying higher – 12 000 to 16000 feet which requires oxygen.

Hilo has no oxygen – Honolulu does.

So we wait. Initially when we checked a few weeks ago, Marshall Islands had no fuel but we just heard that they have been restocked.

The weekend is here – offices are closed and so we wait.

We are “up in the air”

At any rate – despite our disappointment- it was a very beautiful flight along the Hawaiian islands!

So now we are “on the ground” and “up in the air”

I will keep you posted.